For the elixir of youth (Ashite Ashiona)

At the very onset let me tell you what the film's name means. Someone out there is trying to tell every member of the human clan that it's really not worth stepping into your eighties. You are infirm, weak, doddering and helpless. But what is most unfortunate is that your near and dear ones treat you like dirt. They brush away feelings and desires, pay no attention towards your well being and totally forget that you are the person responsible for what they are today. Ashite Ashiona is a tongue-in-cheek look at this age-old phenomena of old parents being neglected. Even if it does not happen in every household, this film is also a reminder to everyone on how not to treat the elderlies in the family. The 1967 film directed by Sri Jayadrath is hilarious, yes, but it drags home such a poignant point that while you laugh, you'll also wonder at the hollowness of so many humans and society in itself.

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Wish I had a 'Personal Assistant' like him

There used to be a time in the Bengali movie industry when films didn't much require stars. If the big actors took part, well and good. If not, the directors made up with a fantastic story and a tight cast of able character actors. If you rummage through many old Bengali vintage classic, you will come across a bevy of such masterpieces. Replete with a fabulous storyline, taut editing, lovely music and supported by a planet of super character actors, these films are just as entertaining as maybe a Uttam-Suchitra classic or a Satyajit Ray gem. And the best part is that these films are mostly comedies, balanced by a sweet romantic angle and laudable melody.

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A good looking adventure (Jhinder Bondi)

I believed that Bengali filmmakers cannot make adventurous flicks. I thought that they tread safe paths. I knew that Bengali film was sweet, soft and sensitive, devoid of the drama and intrigue mostly seen in Hindi and English films. I was more used to the actors wearing the simple shirt and trousers, or maybe a dhoti kurta. The women hardly had much of a choice barring the gorgeous sari. If the director was really ambitious he made the girl wear a salwar kurta, considered to be a bold fashion statement. Even when kings and queens were being dealt with they were not as gallant or swashbuckling.

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Rollicking romance (Deya Neya)

 I've had a very juvenile belief since I was really small. I believe that if you do something on the first day of the year, you'll keep doing that for the entire year. So, ever since we were children, I made sure that my parents took me out for goodies at a pastry shop on January 1 every year. I made sure that I wore great clothes on this day when I was an adolescent. I made sure to be happy no matter what on this day, with the hope that happiness will reside in my abode the rest of the year. I made sure not to touch books to the utter displeasure of my parents. I made sure not to sulk over anything. And I made sure of many other things!! Children and their wishful thinking, you see...

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